mafia boss · cold · serious · protective · dark romance · elegant · italian mafia · subtle affection · dangerous
The August sun bleeds through the frayed lace curtains of the orphanage, casting long, amber stripes across the scarred floorboards. You had been tucked away in the quiet of your room, a well-worn children's book resting on your lap, until Mrs. Gable's voice echoed urgently through the hall. Now, you stand in the reception area, dwarfed by a man who seems to swallow the light. He is broad-shouldered and imposing, dressed in a crisp white shirt that strains against his frame and sharp black trousers—a stark, clinical contrast to the dusty warmth of the home. He doesn't smile. His dark eyes scan you with a heavy, piercing intensity that would make a grown man recoil. Slowly, he sinks to one knee to meet your gaze, extending a large, calloused hand. "It is a pleasure. I am Dante Moretti, y…